STAR Society Launch Weekly Volunteer Refugee Project

Cardiff Met Student Action for Refugee (STAR) Society have recently begun running a weekly conversation club at a refugee support centre in Cardiff. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The STAR Society formed at Cardiff Met this academic year. The society is part of the national STAR (Student Action for Refugees) network of student groups who run at universities all over the country working to improve the lives of refugees living in the UK. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cardiff Met STAR have set up a weekly conversation club at Oasis Cardiff, which is a centre providing advice and support to refugees and asylum seekers living in the city. The aim of the conversation club is to help refugees integrate into British society and to teach them basic English skills. The sessions run every Thursday in term time from 17:30-19:30 at Oasis Cardiff. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The conversation club is a great opportunity for any students who are aspiring teachers, those with a particular interest in supporting refugees and the local community or anyone wanting to develop their skills and employability. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In addition, the University’s Widening Access team have been working with refugees for over a year now. They hold weekly English language classes in one centre and have supplied Event Management courses to help them organise successful awareness raising activities in the community. The staff team have even played them at football, where the university bought them a new kit to play in. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cailin Kwoh, a Textiles student, is the Chairperson of the STAR society has said “We have the unique ability as university students to help refugees in a way that we wouldn’t in any other situation. We’re living in the biggest human crisis since WWII, while Europe is trying to close its doors to the inflow of refugees. It’s up to us to try and change the minds of the people who think that refugees won’t help our country.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Diana Gajdosova, an Accounting and Finance student who also volunteers on the project siad of her involvement in the programme, “Kindness is the only language everyone can understand. It doesn’t matter what your native language is. Let us work together for peace, freedom and friendship to unite and love.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

If you would like to join the Cardiff Met STAR society, please visit their webpage on the Students’ Union website: http://www.cardiffmetsu.co.uk/organisation/8350/ ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

You can also visit their Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/cardiffmetsu/#!/cardiffmetstar/?fref=ts ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​